Music Radar
Are you looking for the best electric guitar under $200 to give to a nephew or niece or for yourself? If so, you may be overwhelmed with the options available. Hence, here’s a guide that helps you understand the different types of electric guitars:
Who is it for?
If you plan to buy a guitar for a beginner, you need to look for one in a suitable size because it is challenging to handle bulky guitars. Also, the sound the guitar produces should match the player’s likes and aspirations. One easy way to find out is to ask them and check which guitar hero they love the most.
It will help if you match the aspirations and preferences of the person for whom you are buying the guitar so that your gift is used well and not left collecting dust in the attic. Today’s young guitar aspirants prefer portable, travel-friendly guitars that they can carry along easily. A standard electric guitar body may be too bulky and heavy, which may not suit most people.
In your quest for the best electric guitar under 200, also look for one that’s easy to tune and play. Of course, people would expect the guitar to look fancy, sleek, and have an excellent tone.
If you are buying for a seasoned player, your options may change. Check with them if they already have something in mind. And the logical thing would be to get them what they prefer. However, high-quality guitars come at a price. If a reasonably priced guitar works for them, and they like to upgrade as they go, that’s perfect.
Types of Electric Guitars
As mentioned above, the sheer range of electric guitars can be pretty overwhelming. However, you can break them down into three basic body types, each with a specialty: hollow body, semi-hollow body, and solid body.
Hollow Body
As the name signifies, such electric guitars come with hollow bodies, making them lightweight and easy to carry. They are more like acoustic guitars, and the hollow is what produces the resonance guitars are known for. Jazz artists prefer hollow guitars because they like their wild feedback, thanks to the archtop these guitars feature.
Moreover, the guitar’s hollow body produces lilting, rich tones, and the deep bass response guitars are known for. Did you know that the first electric guitar was made in 1936 by a guitarist named Charlie Christian?
Also known as “jazz box” guitars, these guitars were loved by jazz players who loved the warm, round tone coming from these guitars. However, these guitars can get uncontrolled with high gain. The Cult’s Billy Duffy used to stuff his T-shirt into his guitar’s hollow to cut the feedback. However, if you want the warm, clean guitar sounds, a hollow body guitar should be your natural choice.
Semi-Hollow Body
A semi-hollow body guitar is similar to a hollow body as it has more resonance than a solid body guitar. These guitars are called semi-hollow because they have a solid wood block in the center, adding stability and cutting the feedback. The semi-hollow guitar’s warmth is liked by most blues players, who also love the sustain it provides due to the solid center. Jazz, blues, and punk rock players prefer semi-hollow guitars.
Solid-Body
Guitars made from one solid slab of wood are known as solid-body guitars, which are probably the most common type of electric guitars you’ll find anywhere. They come in single-pickup models or as multi-pickup instruments featuring several electronic options. You can’t expect a solid body guitar to produce any resonance the way hollow or semi-hollow bodies do. However, the type of wood used to make the guitar makes a difference in its sound. These guitars are flat, solid and easy to carry, and not prone to damage while on the go.
Pickups and Electronics that come with Electric Guitars
Electric guitars are preferred for effect created by the pickups and electronics they feature. The basic model features a single-coil pickup with a magnet wrapped with fine wire. The fine wire around the magnet captures the strings’ vibrations and conveys them as electronic signals. And an electric guitar with a single-coil pickup sounds crisp and bright.
Beginners may be put off by the distinct hum a single-coil pickup produces, which may be due to magnetic interference. Most of the leading guitarists prefer to use single-coil for the tone it has.
Summing it Up
Finding a reasonably priced electric guitar may not be an easy task. However, if you know what to look for in an electric guitar, you should be able to pick up the best one at an affordable price.
